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Series:
Diary of A Golf College Student
Article 4: First Event
by
Jonathan Gibbins
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The
First Event
The
1st tournament is upon us and even though it is being
played in Florida, an 11-hour drive is required to get there. We
are heading to Pensacola, a small city on the north-west tip of
Florida which is only a few hours drive from New Orleans.
We
arrive at dusk and head straight to the golf course for a sneak
peak. The first impression I get is of a British “links” with sand
dunes, bunkers and greens scattered across the skyline in a red
sunset. I study a card on the ride to the hotel. The Moors Golf
Club is a monstrous 7,100 yards long with plenty of water hazards
to contend with. I feel slightly better when I hear that the tournament
has been shortened to 2 rounds because of bad weather.
The
practice round the next day was very enjoyable because I was able
to show my teammates some “links” shots like the 2 iron worm burner
(two feet off the ground) that runs forever and many “bump and runs”
around the greens. I realise now that most golf in Florida is target
golf where the ball is in the air most of the time, because they
all think it’s daft to use a 5 iron around the green. At this venue,
I feel very close to home.
I
am surprised to find out that some local kids are going to caddie
for us for the two rounds and accept the experience as their pay.
It was clear to me during the round that the kid I got would have
rather been in the clubhouse playing Nintendo than gaining golfing
knowledge. He dragged behind and talked constantly to his friend.
It was a far cry from my Uncle Dave in England who used to calculate
exact yardages and make me feel like a tour pro.
However, my college career gets underway perfectly as I birdie the first
and then make a string of pars. The round ends with a couple of
water visits and some unhappy putting. Altogether though, I am pleased
with my performance and so are my team-mates. The one thing I didn’t
like was the appearance of my coach offering advice on crucial shots,
rather like Seve in the Ryder Cup at Valderrama. I believe a player
knows his game well enough otherwise he wouldn’t be there.
The next day was very windy and everyone struggled.
A links course with plenty of water proves to be difficult to handle
in a big breeze and a five-hour long slog is the result. Ironically,
my coach popped his head my way only once during the round to witness
my best shot. A drilled 4 iron into the wind to three feet. Apart
from that, I was blown away with everyone else.
The team’s performance was pretty good and we
finish in the top half. To my amazement, somebody shot 71 on day
two to win the individual honors. His name was Matt Kuchar and he
would go on to win the U.S. Amateur later in the year.
Come back to the
site next week and read the next installation
of life on a golf scholarship!
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